How fast do eating disorders develop

This progression into adulthood is often a significant life altering event, and college can sadly trigger or lead to an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are more commonly associated with Caucasian females who are well-educated and from the upper socio-economic class.

Eating disorders are also viewed as a western world affliction and not commonly related to other ethnic groups. This is not an accurate assumption. Eating disorders are prevalent in many different cultures and have been for a long time. This just continues to prove there are no barriers when it comes to disordered eating.

Males, females, Caucasians, African Americans, Asian Americans, Mexican Americans and other ethnic minorities all can struggle with eating disorders.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender LGBT are at a higher risk of developing eating disorders including anorexia and bulimia.

Gay and bisexual men who are single tend to feel more pressure to be thin and resort to restrictive EDs while those in a relationship turn to bulimia. Women in the lesbian and bisexual community still struggle with eating disorders similar to most heterosexual women with eating disorders, but lesbian and bisexual women are more likely to have mood disorders. There is no such thing as the perfect dancer. Female ballet dancers work very hard at their craft but often find themselves in the throes of an eating disorder.

Ballet dancers have long been known to develop eating disorders, and this can, to a degree, be understood because the dancer stands in front of a large mirror during practice and compares herself to all of her peers.

In addition, it does not help that the industry of ballet dancing is extremely obsessed with weight. Is vegetarianism contributing to disordered eating? Currently, just about five percent of Americans define themselves as a vegetarian a person who removes meat and animal products from their diet.

Vegetarianism is much more prevalent for those who struggle with eating disorders. About half of the patients fighting an eating disorder practice some form of vegetarian diet. In addressing the many medical complications of an eating disorder, the more urgent concerns typically take priority, such as undernourishment or an unstable heartbeat.

Bone loss, or osteoporosis, is a silent but debilitating condition that commonly impacts women with EDs, such as Anorexia Nervosa. If you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, read this article to learn more about ways you can prevent and treat bone density loss and eating disorders. With the mass amount of misguided information about eating disorders, it is common for these serious illnesses to be misunderstood, oversimplified, or greatly generalized.

The truth of the matter is that Eating Disorders are complex diseases caused by a multitude of factors. Men or women who struggle with disordered eating have a serious mental illness with potentially life-threatening consequences.

Understanding the implications of disordered eating can help increase awareness about ways to get help. Read this article to learn the myths vs. In the rapid evolution of our society today, advances in technology have dictated the course of human interactions. The way we interface with one another is largely hinged on the capacities that have developed throughout the years. Face-to-face connections are often pushed aside for text messaging, emails, and the like.

What has been lost and sacrificed in the name of convenience and expediency? Read more here. The media can be a culprit for generating images that falsify the reality of human bodies, but what drives an individual to idealize the representation of body perfection?

As scientists unfold the blueprint of our genetic make-up, it is evident that both environment and genetics play an integral role in the formation of body image. While the transition to college is an exciting time for young adults, full of opportunities for independence and self-discovery, it also comes with an array of stressors.

Learn about how college life and especially as an athlete can put people at risk for eating disorders. During a binge, the person usually feels that they cannot stop eating or control how much they are eating. Binges can happen with any type of food but most commonly occur with foods the individual would normally avoid.

Individuals with bulimia then attempt to purge to compensate for the calories consumed and relieve gut discomfort. Common purging behaviors include forced vomiting, fasting, laxatives, diuretics, enemas, and excessive exercise. Symptoms may appear very similar to those of the binge eating or purging subtypes of anorexia nervosa.

However, individuals with bulimia usually maintain a relatively normal weight, rather than becoming underweight. Common symptoms of bulimia nervosa include 8 :. Side effects of bulimia may include an inflamed and sore throat, swollen salivary glands, worn tooth enamel, tooth decay, acid reflux, irritation of the gut, severe dehydration, and hormonal disturbances 9.

In severe cases, bulimia can also create an imbalance in levels of electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and calcium. This can cause a stroke or heart attack. Summary People with bulimia nervosa eat large amounts of food in short periods of time, then purge. They fear gaining weight despite being at a normal weight. Binge eating disorder is believed to be one of the most common eating disorders, especially in the United States Individuals with this disorder have symptoms similar to those of bulimia or the binge eating subtype of anorexia.

For instance, they typically eat unusually large amounts of food in relatively short periods of time and feel a lack of control during binges. People with binge eating disorder do not restrict calories or use purging behaviors, such as vomiting or excessive exercise, to compensate for their binges. Common symptoms of binge eating disorder include 8 :. People with binge eating disorder often have overweight or obesity. This may increase their risk of medical complications linked to excess weight, such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes Summary People with binge eating disorder regularly and uncontrollably consume large amounts of food in short periods of time.

Unlike people with other eating disorders, they do not purge. Pica is another eating disorder that involves eating things that are not considered food. Individuals with pica crave non-food substances, such as ice, dirt, soil, chalk, soap, paper, hair, cloth, wool, pebbles, laundry detergent, or cornstarch 8. Pica can occur in adults, as well as children and adolescents. That said, this disorder is most frequently observed in children, pregnant women, and individuals with mental disabilities Individuals with pica may be at an increased risk of poisoning, infections, gut injuries, and nutritional deficiencies.

Depending on the substances ingested, pica may be fatal. Summary Individuals with pica tend to crave and eat non-food substances. This disorder may particularly affect children, pregnant women, and individuals with mental disabilities. Rumination disorder is another newly recognized eating disorder. It describes a condition in which a person regurgitates food they have previously chewed and swallowed, re-chews it, and then either re-swallows it or spits it out Are you a student?

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It can be very difficult to identify that a loved one or friend has developed an eating disorder. If you think you may have an eating disorder, see a GP as soon as you can.

A GP will ask about your eating habits and how you're feeling, plus check your overall health and weight. They may refer you to an eating disorder specialist or team of specialists. It can be very hard to admit you have a problem and ask for help. It may make things easier if you bring a friend or loved one with you to your appointment. You can also talk in confidence to an adviser from eating disorders charity Beat by calling their adult helpline on or youth helpline on It can be difficult to know what to do if you're worried that someone has an eating disorder.

They may not realise they have an eating disorder.